I loosely followed this Bobby Flay recipe from FoodNetwork.com. This is a nice hearty sauce, chocked full of vegetables, to go over pasta. I missed the heat though. Instead of adding a diced serano or jalapeno, I just put a few knife pokes in a jalapeno for what I thought would be a more subtle heat. It turned out there was no heat at all. I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs too.

Chicken Cacciatore

Ingredients

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 (3-pound) chicken cut into eighths
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound cremini mushrooms, quartered
1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 large yellow bell pepper, thinly julienned
1 serrano or jalapeno chile, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 cup low-sodium canned chicken broth
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes and their juices
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar or capers
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1 pound spaghetti (size 8 or 9) cooked al dente
Basil sprigs
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Directions

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Season the chicken pieces on both sides with salt and pepper and place in the pan, skin side down and cook until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the breasts over and cook until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the chicken to a large plate.

Add the remaining oil to the pan and heat until almost smoking. Add the mushrooms and cook until golden brown, season with salt and pepper and remove to a plate.

Add the onion and bell pepper to the pan and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the serrano, garlic and chili flakes to the pan and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the wine and cook until almost completely reduced. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, and rosemary and bring to a simmer. Return the chicken and mushrooms to the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan and cook until the chicken is tender, about 30 minutes. Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon to a large shallow bowl and tent loosely with foil.

A shot of the elegant food table above and grilled summer vegetables below.

I had the pleasure of helping cook for an engagement party over the weekend. The menu was light and summery with a Mexican flare: grilled chicken and flank steak with jalapeno honey lime and chipotle garlic marinades, stacked black bean and roasted red pepper enchiladas, grilled summer vegetables, corn on the cob, watermelon salad with feta and blueberries and for dessert two kinds of brownies, mexican chocolate and double chocolate walnut. The real showstopper was the signature drink, a sangria. My friend P, the mom of the groom-to-be found the recipe. It was some of the most delicious sangria I've ever had. P used Tanqueray Gin.

Sangria

Ingredients

1 Bottle of red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Rioja, Zinfandel, Shiraz)
1 Lemon cut into wedges
1 Orange cut into wedges
1 Lime cut into wedges
2 Tbsp sugar
Splash of orange juice or lemonade
2 Shots of gin or triple sec (optional)
1 Cup of raspberries or strawberries (may use thawed or frozen)
1 Small can of diced pineapples (with juice)
4 Cups ginger ale

Directions

Pour wine into a large pitcher and squeeze the juice wedges from the lemon, orange and lime into the wine. Toss in the fruit wedges (leaving out seeds if possible) and pineapple then add sugar, orange juice and gin. Chill overnight. Add ginger ale, berries and ice just before serving.